Harness



ZPATENT OFFICE.

NEVTON H. FETHERMAN, ()F BOSSARDSVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

HARNESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,832, dated March 24, 1891..

Application filed November 26, 1890. Serial No. 372,660. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.

Be .it known that I, NEWTON H. FETHER- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bossardsville, in the county of Monroe and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Harness, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to improvements in harnesses, and has special reference to the connections between the breechiug and the hip-strap.

The objects of my invention are to provide a convenient, cheap, and ready means of attaching the hip-strap to the breeching, offerin no projections liable to engage the horses tail, the reins of the driver, &c., and to provide a secure means of attaching the D connection to the breeching, whereby the same is prevented from working loose.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings,.Figure 1 is a general view of a breeching and hip-strap constructed in accordance with my invention, the same being in position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a port-ion of the breeching. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of a portion of the hip-strap and the plate connecting the same with the breeching-stay.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates the usual breeching, and upon the same I secure a layer or strap 2, which may be of any fanciful design, and sewed to the breech-strap throughout its entire length. The ends of the supplemental strap 2 are bent to form loops 3, and through the same is passed the straight portion dot the D connection 5, usually found at the ends of the breeching. In this instance the straight portion 4: is provided upon its rear side with opposite offsets 6, the upper one of which is provided with a threaded opening 7, as shown. Projecting rearwardly from the center of the offset of each D connectionis a flat gradually tapered or wedge-shaped stiffening-tongue 8, which lies between the bent portions of the strap 2. These bent portions are sewed securely together by stitching 9. Some distance from the ends of the strap 2 are located blocks of leather 11, sewed or otherwise secured between the breeching 1 and the strap 2.

12 designates a stiff wire brace bent at its center to form the tongue 13, the two terminals at each side of the bent portion being bent upon the tongue to form the loop 14 and beyond the loop diverge, forming the front terminal 15 and the rear terminal 16. The front terminal 15 is longer than the terminal 16, and is screw-threaded, as shown at 17, so as to take into the threaded perforation 7 of the D connection. The opposite terminal has its extremity bent to form a hook 18, which takes under and engages the block 1] and is held in engagement by stitches 19. 20 designates a connecting-plate, the front face of which is concave, as shown, and said plate is provided at opposite ends with vertitically-opposite slots or strap-passages 21, through which passes a hip-strap 22. The hip-strap is perforated and is maintained in the plate perfectly straight, so as to be free of kinks and not liable to engage the horses tail, the reins, &c., and is engagedby a look ing lug or pin 23, extending outwardly from the face of the plate. In rear of the lower slot 20 the plate is provided with a transverse bar 24, which engages the loop let of the wire brace.

The advantages of the connection herein described will be readily apparent to all conversant with harness. The D connection is of such construction as to prevent tearing out and looseness, and increases durability. The hip-strap is readily adjustable and may be readily detached when desired.

My improvement can'be applied to other parts ofharness than the breeching to serve the same purpose.

Having described my invention, what I outer surface thereof and terminating short of the end of the breeching-strap and bent inwardly to form the loop 3, combined with the D connection 5, engaging the loop and provided with the rearwardly-disposed ta-j pered tongue 8, and the wire stay bent at its centers to form the opposite terminals, one of i Which is connected with the D connection and the other of which is secured between the straps 1 and 2, said brace being doubled at its bent center, the buckleframe having the cross-bar A for engaging the doubled portion, l and the hip-strap 22, engaging the buckle, i substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 15 inyown 1 have hereto aflixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

NIH "FOX Ii. FETIIEIRMAN.

Witnesses;

II. S. DRAKE, HENRY J. KoTZ. 

